2016 Position Previews

[ATL96Steeler]

Sorry I haven't gotten around to finishing these reviews... My baby was born on Tuesday morning, so I've been completely tied up. @ATL96Steeler or anyone else, feel free to do the Safety position preview... Doubt I will have the time to get it done.

Thanks in advance!

Congrats DAD! No problem bro!

Been out old day and hitting the little white ball and lawn work tomorrow, but I will look into it by Monday if no one else has posted it.

 

[Ewa PGH Fan]

Sorry I haven't gotten around to finishing these reviews... My baby was born on Tuesday morning, so I've been completely tied up. @ATL96Steeler or anyone else, feel free to do the Safety position preview... Doubt I will have the time to get it done.

Thanks in advance!

Congrats Face!!!

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I can't fill Face's shoes, but with him having new daddy responsibilities. I thought I would kick in and finish this position review.

2016 Safety Position

Returning starters…Mike Mitchell, FS

Notable Departed…Will Allen, SS

Other returning players…Robert Golden, Shamarko Thomas, Ross Ventrone, Jacob Hagen

Newcomers…,Sean Davis, SS, 2nd rd draft pick from Maryland, Ray Vinpal, UDFA

Projected Starters…Mike Mitchell, FS…Robert Golden, SS

After a long run with future HOF, Troy Palomalu, and FA standout Ryan Clark, it has long been known that the back end of the Steeler DEF was aging and needed to be overturned. Clark’s last season was ’13 and Troy P played the ’14 season with new FA signee, Mike Mitchell. In ’13 the Steelers drafted Shamarko Thomas in the 4th rd, from Syracuse. The small statured player was noted to be a hard hitter, and was thought to be the SS in waiting. Despite spending part of an offseason training and picking the brain of the great one himself, Thomas has started only 2 games for the Steelers. When Troy was injured in the ’14 season, many felt Thomas would get the nod. Tomlin and Lebeau turned to veteran former Steeler Will Allen instead.

2014 proved to be the final season for Troy P and Dick Lebeau. The Thomas faithful felt that under Tomlin and Butler, Thomas would get another chance to be the starter. For a variety of reasons, it never happened, as Will Allen was again chosen over Thomas as the SS for the ’15 season. Making many feel Thomas is destined to be a special teams player for the rest of his days in Pittsburgh. Allen was injured during the ’15 season and Golden’s number was called to start in his place. He played fairly well, and with him signing a modest FA contract, he looks to be the starter for the ’15 season.

2016 Outlook…the key players appear to be Sean Davis, who has been getting work in the slot early in camp. Mitchell, and Golden. With Ventrone being placed on IR, I would expect Thomas to make the 53 and continue his role on ST. Time will tell, in terms of the effectiveness, but the back end turnover appears to be mostly complete.

@FaCe-LeE-uS ...with your hands full I'm sure, my best effort sir.

FWIW...my wife had both of our kids sleeping through the night in about 30 days she says...one big reason they wake up at night...hungry/wet/or #2...so she fed them every 3 hours even if she had to wake them to do it...then every 4, then 5, and before we knew it, they were sleeping 6 to 7 hours straight...of course I was oblivious to it!

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Quarterback

Gone: Mike Vick, Tajh Boyd, Brandon Gardner (QB/WR), Tyler Murphy (QB/WR)

Returning Starters: Ben Roethlisberger. Supposedly Bennie shed some pounds this offseason. Not that he needed to, but his intent was to improve his agility.

Returning Depth: Bruce Gradkowski, Landry Jones. After much speculation over the QB depth this offseason, Bruce was resigned. He & Jones will once again compete for the QB2 position.

New Faces: Dustin Vaughan. Originally a UDFA for the Dallas Cowpies, he made the team as their QB3 back in 2014. But was later cut to make room for other positions of need. In the same year he was signed to the Bills' PS, but was once again cut to make room. Vaughan had 3 successful starting seasons at West Texas A&M University where he compiled 10,525 yds & 123 TDs.

On the Bubble: Gradkowksi, Vaughan, & Jones. Hate to say it, but I think Landry has a leg up on Gradkowski this offseason. Whether you agree or not, Bruce is already taking reps in the 3rd team offense during camp. Ben had the day off yesterday and Landry took all of the 1st team reps. Bruce has an uphill battle if he wants to regain the QB2 position. Although that shouldn't be too difficult, so long as he can stay healthy.

Outlook: As always, the name of the game is health. So much of this offense depends solely on Ben. Because judging by the depth, it's the same as it has been for the last 3 years. Grimm!

UPDATE!

New acquisition: Bryn Renner

BTSC quote:

The team filled that opening by bringing in former North Carolina quarterback Bryn Renner. Renner was the starter from 2011-2013 where he was a very consistent player and set school records for touchdowns and yards before a shoulder injury ended his senior year early. Renner was once one of the top ranked prospects in the country. In fact, before his 2013 senior season Mike Mayock of the NFL Network said Renner could be a first round pick. Unfortunately, after the shoulder surgery ended his season, that projection was over as well. Renner was undrafted and has spent time with the Broncos, Ravens, Chargers, and the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena league. He has decent accuracy and an understanding of ball placement, meaning he'll throw the ball to where only his receiver has a good shot at catching it.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Wide Receiver

Gone: Martavis Bryant (SSPD for the year), Dri Archer (RB/WR), Jacoby Jones, CJ Goodwin, Devin Gardner (QB/WR), Tyler Murphy (QB/WR), David Nelson, Kenzel Doe, Jarrod West, Isaiah Burse,

Returning Starters: Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton. AB is going to beast mode it once again, no question about that. But what role will Wheaton have? Will he continue to be the slot guy, or will he see more work on the outside now that Bryant is gone for the year? He certainly has earned the trust to be anywhere. We will have to wait and see.

Returning Depth: Darrius Heyward-Bey, Sammie Coates, Eli Rogers, Shakim Phillips. Who will rise to the occasion to take Bryant's snaps? Coates is already turning heads at camp, but make no mistake, this is DHB's job to lose. Tomlin loves his vets. Don't get me wrong though, I would love to see Coates make an impact. I think he will see some work even if he doesn't seize the job. One guy to keep your eyes on though is Rogers. He is a great slot WR, and an extremely hard worker. Wheaton is in a contract year, so the future of the position is in question. Rogers could very well take advantage. Add in the fact that he is a return specialist makes for a strong case to keep him around.

New Faces: Demarcus Ayers, Issac Blakeney, Levi Norwood, Canaan Severin, Marcus Tucker. Ayers was drafted in the 7th round. A proven return specialist with deceptive speed. He clocked in 4.5s-4.6s which isn't what you would think for a top-rated a return guy. But make no mistake, his lateral quickness & vision are what sets him apart. He plays a lot faster than what his 40 time dictates. Blakeney's a lengthy 6-6 220lbs out of Duke, and has room to add more muscle without suffering any consequences in terms of speed. He’s very raw technically though. Doesn’t high point the football, poor route running and has a tendency to body catch. Definitely a project type player. Norwood lost reps at Baylor in his final years to younger players. Norwood originally signed with the Bears as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Baylor last season before being cut. At Baylor, Norwood earned All-Big 12 honorable mention honors as a return specialist in back-to-back seasons Scouts believe he is a limited receiver. Severin will be a name to watch. We've discussed him multiple times since the draft. Lacks the top end speed but has hands of gold & can be one of the best blocking WR's in this year's class. His toughness & ability to catch in traffic reminds me of Hines Ward. Tucker is another kid that impressed during the rookie minicamp tryouts and earned a spot. Played CFB at Northern Michigan. Small frame, but very athletic. Has lots of return experience.

On the Bubble: Rogers, Phillips, Ayers, Blakeney, Norwood, Severin, Tucker. If the team decides to carry 6 WR's, then 2 spots are up for grabs. Rogers & Ayers are likely in a head to head battle, but could easily both land the spots. I'd like to see Severin stick around, but its too early to tell.

Outlook: Clearly the team has invested a lot of time in the recruiting department to field a return specialist. Almost every player on the "New Faces" list above has extensive return experience. I'd like to say that AB will no longer field punts, but someone has to take that job from him. We know Tomlin does not live or coach in his fears. Even without Bryant I still expect this unit to have another strong season. Should be a very exciting position to watch during camp. I was tempted to include Ladarius Green in this group as he is a hybrid TE that lines up more outside. Should be interesting to see how he fits into the schemes.

UPDATE!

Gone: Shakim Phillips (Waived/Injured), Canaan Severin (Waived/Injured)

New acquisition: Cobi Hamilton

BTSC quote:

Hamilton was a sixth round draft pick in 2013 by the Bengals after starring at Arkansas. Despite posting a 90 catch and 1,335-yard season as a senior, Hamilton has just bounced around practice squads during his three years in the NFL. His draft profile notes that scouts doubted he had the skills to translate his success to the NFL, and he's done little to prove those claims wrong. He suffers from a lack of concentration that makes for easy drops. He also struggles against press coverage, and has bad hands in general

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Tight End

Gone: Heath Miller (retired), Matt Spaeth (failed physical), Will Johnson (FB/RB/TE), Rob Blanchflower, Cameron Clear, Michael Egnew

Returning starters: Nobody. Can't really consider Jesse James a returning starter, but he's the closest they have to it.

Returning Depth: Jesse James, Xavier Grimble, Jesse James looked like a well rounded TE option last season. He's still young, and there's a lot of pressure on him to step up this season to fill the HUGE void left by Miller & Spaeth's departure. There's a lot to be excited about with James. Grimble also bring a lot of playmaking ability to the table. He's a hybrid type TE. So far in camp he has been making a decent impression.

New Faces: Ladarius Green, David Johnson, Paul Lang, Mandel Dixon. All eyes will be on Ladarius Green this season. Touted as one of the best (sneaky) offseason acquisitions per NFL or ESPN (can't remember which one). Unfortunately we will have to wait to see this new toy in the offense as he has started TC on PUP as he rehabs his ankle surgery from last season. He was ready for camp, but Tomlin decided to take the safe approach. Green was quoted as not being necessarily happy about being placed on PUP, but agrees with the coaches' decision. David Johnson comes back to the Steelers after a brief stint in San Diego the past 2 seasons. He brings a solid blocking presence to the group. If you recall, Arians deployed him as a FB during the 2011 season. Not sure he is still as position flexible as he used to be, but I'm glad to have another veteran presence within this young group. Paul Lang had a decent career at Michigan State. He looks to be cut from the same cloth as Heath Miller size-wise. Good hands, but needs work on his route running & blocking. Dixon is a versatile player that has experience at both TE & RB. Sort of like a Will Johnson type gadget player. Word is he suffered an injury during TC already, so he may be on the chop block.

On the Bubble: Grimble, Johnson, Dixon & Lang. All 4 are fighting for 1 position. Early favorite is David Johnson based off of experience alone. Doubt Dixon & Lang will even make the PS, but Grimble is someone to keep your eyes on.

Outlook: Position looks to be a little shaky this year. Really hoped that Spaeth would have recovered from his offseason surgery, but clearly he didn't. Hence why David Johnson was signed. Like I said, there going to be a lot of pressure on Jesse James to provide stability. We still don't know exactly what to expect from Ladarius Green, but hopefully he will provide a good boost to this offense.

UPDATE!

Gone: Mandel Dixon (Waived/Injured), Jake Phillips (Released)

New acquisition: Michael Cooper

SteelersDepot quote:

Cooper played college ball at Indiana where he had 17 receptions for 205yds and 2 TDs in 2015. At his pro day he measured in at 6'4" 259lbs. He ran the 40 in 4.88s and did 21 reps on the bench at 225.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Offensive Tackle

Gone: Kelvin Beachum, Mike Adams, Kevin Whimpy

Returning Starters: Marcus Gilbert. Gilbert had a strong '15 season, and was widely considered a snub from the pro bowl. Gilbert was once questioned as the future of the RT position, but is now considered one of the best in the business. Decided not to put AVill on here. More on that below.

Returning Depth: Alejandro Villanueva, Matt Feiler. AVill filled in admirably when Beachum went down last season. He showed great promise and is an early favorite to win the LT position. Still needs work, but he's essentially entering year 2 so he's got a lot of room to grow. Feiler spent last year on PIT's PS. He's a two-time first-team All-PSAC East out of Bloomsburg. Outstanding size at 6'6" 330. Good upper-body strength but he's not a natural bender. Limited mobility, explosion and balance.

New Faces: Ryan Harris, Jerald Hawkins, Brian Mihalik. Harris spent last season as the starter for the Broncos after pro-bowler Ryan Clady went down for the year. He has quite the extensive injury history, which is worrisome. 3 back surgeries (dating as far back as his college days at Notre Dame), toe surgery (landed him on IR in 2009), and a bum ankle (sidelined him for a few games in 2010). His injuries plagued his career in which he played for the Broncos on 3 separate stints, while also playing for the Eagles, Texans & Chiefs in between. However he resurrected his career last season playing a full 16 games. My belief is he is a decent backup option. Doubt he will take the job from AVill but he's the main competition for now. Lets hope that the Steelers didn't jump the gun and overpay him ($3.9mil). Hawkins was the Steelers' 4th round selection out of LSU where he was a 3-yr starter. He started at right tackle his first two years before switching to left for his junior year. Good size, mobility, and technique. But is still considered a project by many draft scouts. He will need a year or 2 to groom before competing for a starting gig. Mihalik is an interesting project, as in he played DE at Boston College, and was drafted by the Eagles to play that position. Despite having zero experience at the OT position, the Steelers chose to move him there. Interested to hear why, but so far I have come up with nothing. The team had similar success with AVill who made the same transition. Both players stand at 6'9", were released by the Eagles before being signed, and both men had no experience as an offensive lineman before being switched to tackle. Quite the coincidence.

On the Bubble: Hawkins, Mihalik, Feiler. These 3 are possibly battling for 1 open spot if the team decides to carry 4 OT's.

Outlook: This position has solid depth. I am excited to see how AVill grows this season, not to mention if Gilbert finally makes the pro bowl. The LT position is AVill's job to lose. Harris should be a quality backup option should either OT miss any time. Not sure what to expect out of Hawkins yet, but the initial reports have been good.

UPDATE!

Gone: Brian Mihalik (Waived/Injured)

New acquisition: Wade Hansen

Rotoworld quote:

Pro Football Focus analyst Mike Renner wrote that Virginia Tech G Wade Hansen's ability to position himself is a key strength.

Renner referred to Hansen as having a bit of an awkward running style. That matters not when push comes to shove. "But [despite his occasional awkwardness] Hansen is already so adept at positioning himself that he rarely lost cleanly in college," the analyst wrote, adding that "[h]is overall grade was 12th among Power-5 tackles in this draft class and there is definitely something to work with here in the later rounds."

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Guard

Gone: Collin Rahrig (C/G), Reese Dismukes (C/G), Miles Dieffenbach

Returning Starters: David DeCastro, Ramon Foster. DeCastro is a candidate for a contract this offseason. Still in the works, but could happen soon. He earned his first pro bowl last season and was 1st team All Pro IIRC. He continuously gets better year after year. Foster is a decent starting option, but I am still of the opinion that he is one of the weakspots on the O-line. He's capable, and is seen as a strong leader in the huddle & lockerroom, but I still think his position could be upgraded. But that might come at the expense of cohesion. He has played with this group since 2009. He has seen and done it all.

Returning Depth: Cody Wallace (C/G), Chris Hubbard (C/G), B.J. Finney (C/G). Wallace has filled in admirably for Pouncey these past few years. He played a full season last year at Center. While he's not the most technically sound or athletic lineman out there, he is still serviceable and has a great amount of experience. Hubbard has also seen limited rotation snaps (3-5 per game) to spell Foster. He has been with the team since '13. So far nobody has been able to take the job from him. Finney is a camp favorite, and has a great shot at winning that position.

New Faces: Cole Manhart. Decorated Division II tackle prospect who had to move inside to have any shot in the NFL. He is athletic enough for a zone scheme, but scouts had grave concerns about his ability to drop anchor and handle power from the inside. Bottom line he's a very fluid athlete with good feet. He can pull with ease.

On the Bubble: Hubbard, Finney & Manhart. All 3 are battling for 1 position. Hubbard is the resident holder of that position, so its his job to lose.

Outlook: I was right about DeCastro being in for a pro bowl season LY. I have no reason to suspect any dropoff in play for this season. He gets better every year, so expect that to continue. The O-line is a very cohesive unit. No matter who might be the weakest link, the group performs well together. Ben was the least pressured QB last season according to PFF. That's a great stat to hang their hats on.

UPDATE!

Gone: Cole Manhart (Waived/Injured), Valerian Ume-Ezeoke (Waived/Injured)

New acquisition: Shahbaz Ahmed

BTSC Quote:

Ahmed played in 12 games last year at guard for Temple, but had spent time before that on the defensive line. Clearly he is going to be a project since he is still learning the position, but he is at least realistic about it, he told Philly.com in an interview that his goal was to sign as an undrafted free agent and prove himself in camp.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Defensive Tackle / Nose Tackle

Gone: Steve McLendon, Cam Thomas (DE/DT), Clifton Geathers (DE/DT)

Returning Starters: Nobody. McLendon's departure opens the door for an open competition.

Returning Depth: Dan McCullers, LT Walton (DE/DT). Big Dan is the favorite to win the starting gig. He is still incredibly massive, but has since cut 15-20lbs off his original 352lb frame. He still has troubles with technique, but fortunately for him his size makes him impossible to move no matter who tries. As noted above in the DE's position, Walton is still relatively unknown. He will be someone to keep an eye on during preseason. Not sure if he will make much of an impact at the DT position though unless injuries occur.

New Faces: Javon Hargrave, Lavon Hooks, Roy Philon (DE/DT), Devaunte Sigler. Hargrave was selected in the 3rd Rd of the 2016 draft. He dominated his level of competition in CFB at SC St. Surprising foot quickness & burst with good rushing moves. He has a great motor and displays plus effort with his willingness to pursue around the field. I know ATL has been high on this kid all offseason. Will be great if he can make an impact early on. Hooks is big bodied DT standing at 6'3" 312lbs. He bounced around 4-5 different schools in college, one of them being Ole Miss. He went undrafted last season but got picked up by the Packers before getting cut. Philon played in all 4 preseason games for the Steelers back in 2014 before getting cut on the final day. He has spent time with the Bears and Lions since, appearing in 3 preseason games for Detroit last season. Sigler played college ball at Jax St. He has the size (6'3" 300), motor and strength to get him into a camp, but he will need to become much better with his technique. He may not even get the chance as he was already put on PUP because his conditioning test wasn't passed to Tomlin's standards. Somethin about an ankle or knee he has been rehabbing. Supposedly he passed the test, but Tomlin didn't like what he saw.

On the Bubble: Hooks, Philon, Sigler. These guys will have to battle with the DE's for a roster spot. Position flexibility is a must.

Outlook: McCullers & Hargrave look to be in a head to head battle for the job. But with Butler's continuously changing schemes, we could see more 4-man fronts. We know they have wanted to make that transition for some time but we have only seen glimpses of it, and now they might have the personnel to accomplish it more. I have faith that McCullers will step up and make a good impact. Hargrave could figure in to rotate for subpackage roles or relieve McCullers. That's the hope anyways. We will have to wait and see how these guys do in TC.

UPDATE!

Gone: Roy Philon (Waived/Injured)

New acquisition: Khaynin Mosley-Smith

PITTlive Quote:

Played in 12 games, starting seven on Pitt's interior defensive front...finished with 16 tackles, two TFLs, a sack assist and a forced fumble...had a season-high three stops vs. North Carolina...had two tackles, a sack assist and forced fumble against Louisville.

Scout Quote:

Wide bodied defensive line prospect best occupying blockers. Fires off the snap, built low to the ground and consistently gets leverage on opponents. Tough to move off the point and holds his position. Character concerns linger after Mosley-Smith was suspended for the entire 2013 college season for being involved in a drug raid.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Outside Linebacker

Gone: Howard Jones, Shawn Lemon, Shayon Green

Returning Starters: Bud Dupree. It's hard to list anyone on the starting block seeing as how Butler & Tomlin prefer a rotation. But I think Dupree has the most snaps to gain based off of his performance. We know the ceilings of the rest of the players. Dupree had an excellent rookie campaign and looks primed to make the leap in his 2nd year.

Returning Depth: James Harrison, Jarvis Jones, Arthur Moats, Anthony Chickillo, Jordan Zumwalt (ILB/OLB). Harrison continues to prove that age means nothing. He may not be the 3-down impact player that he once was, but when used in a rotation (primarily for pass rush) he is still just as disruptive. JJ is the better coverage OLB so he sees plenty of work. Sad to say but I think we have seen JJ's ceiling and it is what it is. He isn't the impact player that he was drafted to be, but he is still a decent OLB. We talked about his contract situation and I think the Steelers made the right call. Moats is another OLB that we know his ceilings but he is a serviceable backup. Generates a decent pass rush and solid in run support. Chickillo was last year's camp darling and made a solid impact on ST (couple FF's). I've been reading puff pieces on the kid and he sounds like he worked his ass off to get into great shape this offseason. I'm excited to see if he can escalate his game. Read the ILB preview for more details on Zumwalt.

New Faces: Travis Feeney, Mike Reilly. As stated in the ILB preview, it's still fairly uncertain whether Feeney will play outside or inside. Read the ILB preview for more details on him. Reilly comes from Tomlin's alma matter, William & Mary. He played at DE but often played upright. His playing style & smaller size made the transition to OLB a no-brainer. He made waves his senior year by continuously destroying his competition in the FCS. He was signed as a UDFA by the Browns last year before being a last-cutdown casualty. In early January of this year the Cardinal scooped him up before being waived to make room in May. Not sure where the Steelers have been using him yet, but he's most likely with Porter's group (OLB).

On the Bubble: Feeney, Zumwalt & Reilly. All 3 will battle for ST roster spots. Chickillo would be the only person in semi-danger of losing a roster spot, but I doubt that would happen.

Outlook: Not as much competition at this position as years past, but the top 4 are pretty entrenched for at least this season. Harrison is in it for the ring, and if it doesn't happen this year then who knows whether he can continue to defy father time. For this season this position is stable. But the future is the opposite. JJ is in a contract year and Harrison is on the verge of retiring (again). Should JJ have a great season and price himself out of the burgh then OLB will be back on top of the draft radar or possibly even a FA.

UPDATE!

New Acquisition: Jermauria Rasco

SteelersWire Quote:

New signing Jermauria Rasco was previously with the Green Bay Packers, having signed as an undrafted free agent after the 2015 NFL draft. He was ultimately waived/injured in September and spent some time on the Packers injured reserve list. Signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a futures signing earlier this year, he was released once again at the end of April.

While at LSU, Rasco started in 26 games at DE and was a regular contributor on both special teams and defense, seeing action in 48 games over his four-year career.

Entering the draft the 6-foot-3, 247-pound defensive end was projected as a linebacker and recorded a 4.75-second 40-yard dash. Judging from all the scouting reports available online, Rasco was praised for his football intelligence and play reading ability and by all accounts is a tough player, but one who struggled shedding blocks and had questionable strength coming out of college.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Guard

Gone: Collin Rahrig (C/G), Reese Dismukes (C/G), Miles Dieffenbach

Returning Starters: David DeCastro, Ramon Foster. DeCastro is a candidate for a contract this offseason. Still in the works, but could happen soon. He earned his first pro bowl last season and was 1st team All Pro IIRC. He continuously gets better year after year. Foster is a decent starting option, but I am still of the opinion that he is one of the weakspots on the O-line. He's capable, and is seen as a strong leader in the huddle & lockerroom, but I still think his position could be upgraded. But that might come at the expense of cohesion. He has played with this group since 2009. He has seen and done it all.

Returning Depth: Cody Wallace (C/G), Chris Hubbard (C/G), B.J. Finney (C/G). Wallace has filled in admirably for Pouncey these past few years. He played a full season last year at Center. While he's not the most technically sound or athletic lineman out there, he is still serviceable and has a great amount of experience. Hubbard has also seen limited rotation snaps (3-5 per game) to spell Foster. He has been with the team since '13. So far nobody has been able to take the job from him. Finney is a camp favorite, and has a great shot at winning that position.

New Faces: Cole Manhart. Decorated Division II tackle prospect who had to move inside to have any shot in the NFL. He is athletic enough for a zone scheme, but scouts had grave concerns about his ability to drop anchor and handle power from the inside. Bottom line he's a very fluid athlete with good feet. He can pull with ease.

On the Bubble: Hubbard, Finney & Manhart. All 3 are battling for 1 position. Hubbard is the resident holder of that position, so its his job to lose.

Outlook: I was right about DeCastro being in for a pro bowl season LY. I have no reason to suspect any dropoff in play for this season. He gets better every year, so expect that to continue. The O-line is a very cohesive unit. No matter who might be the weakest link, the group performs well together. Ben was the least pressured QB last season according to PFF. That's a great stat to hang their hats on.

UPDATE!

Gone: Cole Manhart (Waived/Injured), Valerian Ume-Ezeoke (Waived/Injured)

New acquisition: Shahbaz Ahmed

BTSC Quote:

Missed someone...

New acquisition: Antoine Everett

SteelersDepot Quote:

Everett was signed by the Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent out of McNeese State, spending most of his rookie season on Tampa Bay's practice squad. After playing tackle in college, he was projected to play gaurd at the NFL level and was originally projected as a late round draft pick before he suffered a broken bone in his foot at his pro day.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Position Preview: Cornerback

Gone: Brandon Boykin, Antwan Blake, BW Webb, Kevin Fogg

Returning Starters: William Gay. Gay continues to be one of the only bright spots in a very blemished group. He may not be among the best in the NFL, but he is a savvy vet and continuously finds a way to come up big for this unit.

Returning Depth: Ross Cockrell, Senquez Golson, Doran Grant. Cockrell is a young guy that the Steelers scooped up last offseason after the Bills sent him packing. He is a young & athletic corner with lots of room to grow. The coaches didn't take long to take a liking to him as he saw a lot of playing time early on & all throughout last season. He has the size & speed to become a great CB. He is the early favorite and will likely start opposite Gay. Golson could have been put in the new faces category because he red-shirted his rookie season on IR after a torn labrum sidelined him last offseason. Unfortunately we will have to wait another couple of months before we can see him play as he reportedly suffered a Lisfranc injury to his foot which will sideline him upwards of 12 weeks. Quite the frustrating blow to a player that the coaches have been raving about all offseason. He was slated to be the starter as the slot CB. Rumors of Grant being transitioned to safety were abundant early in the offseason but Coach Lake put them to rest by saying he has no idea why they started in the first place. They intend to keep him in the CB group, but Lake did acknowledge that he could "probably" make that transition if necessary. Grant started last season on the PS before being promoted to the active roster in November. He played on ST, but failed to make much of an impact. The door has swung wide open for him to display his skills now that Golson is injured.

New Faces: Artie Burns, Sean Davis, Al-Hajj Shabazz, Donald Washington, Kevin White. The long awaited CB in the 1st round has finally happened when the Steelers took Artie Burns @25th overall in the 2016 draft. He features great size & speed with a solid set of hands to boot. Think of an Ike Taylor that can actually catch! lol. Problem is that Burns thrived in press coverage, something that the Steelers rarely do. His college tape didn't do him many favors when he was seen playing off the line. He was a puzzling draft pick considering that fact alone, but maybe Butler & Lake will let him play on the line. The good thing about him is that he is young and very athletic. With the right coaches around him he could be molded to play whatever scheme they desire. Time will tell. I know Sean Davis was drafted to be a safety, but he has to be put in this category for the fact that he is already eating up Senquez Golson's reps at slot CB in training camp. The coaches have since been lauding his position flexibility. He made waves during the Senior Bowl practices & game where his hard nose hitting was on full display. His college tape at CB wasn't anything special, but he has a great nose for the ball. Last season was his first at CB, and he only made that transition out of necessity when Maryland lost some of their CB's to injury. He is a better fit at safety, and will need time to grow as a CB if they want him to play that position because he is still very raw with his technique. Shabazz played CFB at West Chester University where, in his senior year, he led the team with 5 INTs and 11 pass breakups, while compiling 40 tackles. He had brief stints with the Colts (UDFA) & Buccaneers last year. He has a good frame and length (6'2" 200) with an ability to make plays on throws underneath. Questions have loomed about his technique and physicality. Another raw project for the fold. Donald Washington was drafted by the Chiefs in the 4th Rd back in 09 (an awesome draft year for the Stillers if you recall lol), He was drafted as a strong safety but has seen time at CB. After getting cut in 2011 he went on a 3 year hiatus from football before playing in the CFL in 2014. After getting released in 2015 he made another shot at the NFL. He didn't gain any attention until rookie tryouts of this season when he caught the coaches' attention. He is 30 years old and on the latter end of his career, but lets hope the coaches saw something useful in him. White was a 2nd-team All-Big 12 selection in 2014, and helped bolster a TCU pass defense that was among the best in the nation (often lined up on the WR1). He signed as a UDFA for the Falcons last season but failed to make the 53. Overall he has the ball skills and size (5'9" 185) to excel as a slot CB. However, his short arms and lackluster speed could make him a bit of a liability in coverage.

On the Bubble: Grant, Shabazz, Washington, White. Since Golson is injured that could open the door for possible 2 out of this group to make the team. Luckily for them Davis probably won't factor into the CB head count. We will have to wait and see what the roster cutdowns look like before they make any decisions on the number of CBs they want to carry.

Outlook: This position looked primed to make a big step forward, however that image took a sizeable hit after Golson was injured. I still think they are in decent shape considering they have Cockrell who could take a big step forward this season, and they have injected youth into the position with Burns & Davis. Should be interesting to see how quickly those young guys transition to the NFL. The faster they can make an impact the better. We know Butler & Tomlin have been working hard to simplify the coverage schemes, so that will help quicken that transition. Gay & Cockrell will likely be the starters, and that is a solid grouping. The slot CB is still yet to be decided. Davis is eating up those reps so far, but there is a lot of TC & preseason left before that spot is solidified. Should be a fun position to keep an eye on. And lets hope that Golson returns to the field faster than what is being predicted.

UPDATE!

New Acquisition: Julian Whigham

PennLive Quote:

Whigham is an undrafted rookie free agent out of Syracuse who originally signed with the Buffalo Bills. He was released by the Bills on June 9.

The 6-foot-1, 187-pound Whigham played cornerback for most of his college career and was listed in the same position in Buffalo, but played some safety in his senior year at SU.

He had 22 tackles and three pass breakups his senior year.

 

[Maximus Rex]

Sorry I haven't gotten around to finishing these reviews... My baby was born on Tuesday morning, so I've been completely tied up. @ATL96Steeler or anyone else, feel free to do the Safety position preview... Doubt I will have the time to get it done.

Thanks in advance!

Congrats, Face! Just saw this, sorry for the delay. All the best to you, the spouse or whatever, and the baby!

 

[MISKO]

Face just like Max said sorry for the delay and congratulations daddy

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Congrats, Face! Just saw this, sorry for the delay. All the best to you, the spouse or whatever, and the baby!

Face just like Max said sorry for the delay and congratulations daddy

Thank you gentlemen!

 

[Maximus Rex]

Thank you gentlemen!

The performance on offense tonight is clearly due to the new member of your family. Keep popping them out, will you, bro?

 

[Psych-Ward]

Sorry I haven't gotten around to finishing these reviews... My baby was born on Tuesday morning, so I've been completely tied up. @ATL96Steeler or anyone else, feel free to do the Safety position preview... Doubt I will have the time to get it done.

Thanks in advance!

Holy shit, they let you reproduce?????

Seriously @FaCe-LeE-uS

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Holy shit, they let you reproduce?????

Seriously @FaCe-LeE-uS

Not sure it was so much of "letting" me do it as much as it was "turning a blind eye"...

Thanks Psych!

 

[Psych-Ward]

Not sure it was so much of "letting" me do it as much as it was "turning a blind eye"...

Thanks Psych!

So you're saying you got your "Jimmy-Jam" on!!!!

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

So you're saying you got your "Jimmy-Jam" on!!!!